While i´m waiting for the final games at ADMWWS - and are waiting for opponents at OCTGN, i´m spending time watching videos.
And maybe we could all learn something from those?
#1 Sharkbait (Necromancer) vs Aridigas (Anvil Throne Warlord) 1:28:58/13 rounds.
#Spawpoint vs No Spawpoint
#Gorgon Archer vs Alendell
#Outcretured
#DoT Damage
#Rocks and Boulder
#Mass Leather
Some very nice discussion about Necro. Chasing him from one end of the arena, and back again only to be caught up with zombies.
#2. Leggyblonde (Priestess) vs Michaelj1297 (Necromancer) 1:18:14/8 rounds.
#Hardcasting creatures
#Spawnpoint vs No Spawpoint
# Take Mage action at the end
# Necromancer
# Priestess
# Paladin
# Priestess
# Cassiel
# Armor
Michaelj1297 advanced a bit to fast with few creatures and his unprotected Necromancer.
Likely better to try to let Idol Of Pestilence and Deathlock do more work.
Leggyblonde on her end did a good job of showing us the Power of the Holy School. Knight of Westlock, High Temple Guards and a lot of Luminous Blast is scary to most of us.
#3. Sharkbait (Paladin) vs DrMambo23 (Druid) 2:00:34/15 rounds.
#Paladin
#Druid
#Alendell
#Giant Wolf Spider
#Chant of Rage
#Use the Druid
#Spawnpoint vs No Spawnpoint
#Outcreatured
#Focusing down Holy creatures
#Enchanter Ring
Its rare to see a Druid getting outcreatured, but its kind of what happened here.
Early Alendell vs early Giant Wolf Spider ended with dead Spider + valor for Paladin.
Paladin end up having Alendell (4-8 dice), Balista ( 5dice) and a Buffed Paladin (? dice)
Anything the Druid could put up pretty much just died.
It happens a lot when you are behind in "tabledice".
DrMambo could have played better. Using the Druid more - risking hits from Alendell but saving plants/creatures
Waiting a bit with the Spider - i think Spider is great but not a front line fighter - more or less the same as Sharkbaits thoughts on Flamming Hellion.
https://soundcloud.com/sharkbait-455678935/mage-cast-11Also i think you should try to set up shop in the near center, mostly because you want to fight outside Battleforge Range.
Shark did a real good job with this buddy Paladin spellbook. Killing Holy creatures is really hard, and if you only damage them - whoops disgusting forms of healing shows up and then you just back to start.
Its so bad that i went running around in my living room yesterday yelling "woot" woot" , when i managed to kill an Asyrian Cleric
Concerning Enchanters Ring: I used to be in love with this having it in every spellbook, but i´ve recently got in doubt if its worth it? Here i did´t see it used much. It should be best early when mana matters the most, but if you don´t get to use it more than 1-3 times in the first 10 rounds you might be better off doing something else.
Just something i will look for in the next videos.
#4 CapRedBear (Priest) vs MrBubo (Anvil Throne Warlord) 1:13:35/11 rounds
#Worst Mages in the game
#Out of the Box
#Mana Siphon
#Undoing game
#Resplendent Bow
#Tanglevine
#Pillar of Righteous Flame
#Battleforge
#loopy
#Enchanters Ring
First thing i have to say thank you to CapRedBear! Its a pleasure to watch you play Priest. If anyone still think Priest is one of the weakest mages, to the point of being unplayable. Watch a video like this.
Mana Siphon just win games and i have never seen it been bad. In this game it just gave the Priest a damage lead putting the Dwarf under pressure.
For MrBubo i think you made a pretty big mistake with the early Elemental Wand (which you never used) If you not going to use it in round 2 why deploy it?
Just imagine changing your deploy in round 2 and 3. First the Leather then the Elemental Wand now with Arc Lightning and a Power Rune. Assuming you still wanted to go for the Siphon - you would save 2 mana early and keep the Arc lightning Spells.
After destroying the Siphon i think more caution was in order. Regrowth Belt, try to stay at range 2 from the Priest and maybe Champions Gauntlets + Mage Wand w Cantrip and some kind of healing.
Just let me return to my pet project: Enchanter Ring. CapRedBear deployed an Enchanters Ring from Battleforge and then used it to enchant himself with Hawkeye. Basically he got the Enchanters Ring for free, and even if he didn't cast another enchantment for a long time it was a good play. Wanting to play Mana Siphon and then next round Bow+ Dawn-breaker Ring + burn mana. Pretty good!
Oh and I think the Dwarf might be the best at the undoing game. I think someone said otherwise in the video. Granted in the situation he was is it wasn't time for it.
#5 Werekingdom (Druid) vs. Grimmbart (Forcemaster) 1:41:18/12 rounds
#Chai
#Supersquad
#Manabattle
#Treebond
#Lifebond
#42
#Outofshool
#Grimson
#Ehren
#Mhgedden
#Kralathor
#Flaming Hellion
#Jinx
#Spawnpoint vs No Spawpoint
#Forcepull
Pretty amazing supersquad Forcemaster by Grimbart. Ehren, Mhgedden and Grimson!
Cool tight spellbook at around 42 cards. Mind Control, Arcane Ward, Jinx, Fumble
Shows us all what can be done with out of school spellbooks.
But not only has Grimbart made a really good spellbook, he also played really well and applied hard pressure.
A fun thing happens when you are the aggressor and get a lead - you don´t have to "waste" mana on defenses.
Talking about out of school - did you notice that Flaming Hellion in Werekingdoms Druid Spellbook?
Pretty nice!
In my mind Flaming Hellion was a fire guy and therefore absolutely nogo. But getting a guy with Flame Immunity is pretty good and he can be real usefull in a mirror match as well.
In some other tread Bloodcrag Minotauer was suggested for Druid. You could use Thornlashers to snatch the Enemy away from the Minotaur and then get his charge bonus! But i don´t agree, with a Grizzly you can use Thornlashers to pull creatures to and back into Grizzly zone. And as Grizzly more or less = Minotaur your just wasting 4 spellbookpoints.
Thats not the cause with Grimbarts or Werekingdoms choises.
Talking about going out of school i think i could benefit a lot from making max 50 cards book - you might even save money on card sleeves.
Werekingdom messed up round 1-5, but after that he looked like he got some coffee or some nice chai, because he almost came back from what looked like a lost position after 5 rounds.
Forgetting Treebond and Lifebond was the smallest thing. He didnt really forget to treebond - its just not automated.
Turn 2 he only casted a Mana Flower and didnt use his QC. Playing a Druid vs a FM you already won the "Spellbookbattle" or "manabattle". You are already ahead in channeling and he cast a creature, so i think its good to start casting creatures as well, preferably smaller ones.
Turn 3 was a Grizzly and Enchanters Ring. Well Grizzlies are amazing, but vs a FM who might run Mind Control is just a bit dangerous. If you wanted a big creatures you could go for Kralathor, Enchanters Ring + Enchantment.
Turn 4 was Meridias Blessing and move to FC and Surging Wave Ehren. I think moving to the FC was to dangerous and i rather hit Ehren with Acid Ball from Meridias Blessing zone. You could also consider Mage Wand and Dispel on Ehrens regrowth. I really think just accepting that he gets Ehren and Mhgedden for "free" would have been better and just casting creatures, because i doesn't really matter that you pay more mana for your creatures because your economy is way better.
Turn 5. Nothing wrong here. Grimbart played well and it looked Grim
but you did very well, and might even have made it.
I don´t know if i covered all the # but im real tired, so..
Easy Chai:
Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon and Black tea - boil add water then milk and sugar/honey. Pretty nice!
#6 Arxiducs vs Sailor Vulcan 50:45+ 11 rounds 50:45+1:04:45
#Priest
#Holy Avengers
#Psychic Immunity
#Chant of Rage
#Reverse Attack
#Out of the box
#King of Academy
#Fatigue Force Master
#Blood Reaper
#Sanguine Hunters
#Battleforge
#Malakais Basilika
#Bloodthirsty & Guards
#Arcane Corruption vs Mass Enchant
#Focusing down creatures
#Vampirism
Pretty nice epic match vs good and evil. Both playing without a creature spawnpoint.
Im wondering why Sailor Vulcan (priest) put Hand of Bim-Shalla not in his starting corner?
Or maybe what conjuration had he planned to put in the starting corner?
At round 3 Arxiducs had 16 mana and elected to forfeit deploying from Battleforge and not use his qc, to hardcast a Necropian Vampiress for all the 16 mana. Im sure i´ve deployed the Leather and gone hitting on Hand of Bim-Shalla with the Warlock instead and then use the Bloodreaper to either hit whatever hit the Warlock or help with the Hand. It would have been much slower.
Arxiducs choice might actually be better, it did really put pressure on.
Other than that, Necropian Vampire and Bloodreaper Blood Demon was really good vs Cassiel.
Looks like Sailor lost because he was unable to focus down the Bloodreaper or the Necropian Vampire early.
And the Asyran Defender Holy Avenger didn't do that much, did it?
#7 Poopstar (Arraxian Crown Warlock) vs Werekingdom (Priest) 49:20/8 rounds
#Battleforge
#Zombie Brute
#Cassiel
#Mhgedden
#Temples
#Holy Creatures
#Enchanters Ring
#Spawnpoint vs No Spawpoint
#Boulders
Very fast and Brutal game
Close and exciting.
Its supposed to be difficult to play without a creature spawnpoint vs one. Until now we seen it done/perform very well. I know that going to change in some of the future games, so its kind of interesting - Why did Poopstar do so well? (and the others as well)
Poopstar played a very good game here. And that might be an understatement
Basically he got 3 creatures with 7 dice each pretty fast. Good use of Battleforge and Enchanters Rings looks like it was worth it. Even if its kind of meh. I didn't watch he mana closely, but rather than the 2 discount Rings, early Leather might have been better. It depends on how much he really needed those mana discounts from the rings, instead of saving a few points of damage.
Werekingdom played a bit to aggressive here i think. Moving forward and attacking to soon, without any backup. This is just my opinion and the game was really close - as Coshade, Shark and Puddin pointed out praying with the Dawnbreaker´s Initiate so you could heal with a Messenger of Bim-Shalla might have changed things. Temple of Asyra casted Asyran Cleric, Dawnbreaker´s Initiate and Temple Sentry?
With a Temple your not going for an 8 round game, because why not just hardcast your creatures instead?
And then just a note on the setup. Id think id like to protect the Malakai's Basilika a bit better. Move and put crystal x2 just not in the starting zone. Then next round put down MB in your starting corner and Temple of Asyra were you did. Is MB more important? Even if not the Mana Crystals are just a tad harder to take down, especially for a Warlock.
And with all that let me just say i am impressed (and scared) on how much damage you were able to do, just with the Priest alone.
#8 Reddice (Anvil Throne Warlord) vs Vulcan. 28:42/5 rounds
#Armor
#Battleforge
#Psychic Immunity
#Shoalsdeep Crocodile
#Iron Golem
#Queen in chess
#Water Elemental
#Do not give up!
#Defense
First @Red Very well played! Just have to agree with Puddin, Shark and Coshade there.
Nice defensive mode, when you saw him charging. Iron Golem perfect response vs Siren.
Pretty much a perfect game.
@Sailor - again i have to agree with Shark. Don´t give up so easy.
Siren rush might work. Don´t like a Croc for that. Id think you´d do better with 4 Water Elementals.
Water Elementals just last a lot longer.
Personally id start with Naiya and Shallow Sea, then move towards the Dwarf.
#9 Sailor Vulcan (Forcemaster) vs Ash (Necromancer) 56:16/7 rounds
#Metachange
#Mind's Eye
#Cloak of Shadows
#Zombies
#Incorporeal
#Force Hammer
#Mass Leather
#Zombie Frenzy
#WoT
Very Well done Sailor!
Not only a well played game by you, but also a game changing new way to play Forcemaster with the Mind´s Eye. Got really scared when i saw this, and i really feel with Ash. Getting hit by something like this, not having seen something like this before. Its Brutal.
I hated FM before and now this
I cant really blame Ash for moving in the first round, and i would be hard to come up with counters on the spot.
Force Hammer on the Mind´s Eye won´t really help - id rather use those on the Thoughtspores.
Idol of Pestilence in the starting corner might have worked. Might have bought you some time.
And then just double move vs the FM. Likely to leave you in a bad spot still, but you might just have gone in range soon enough.
Skeletons, Graveyard might do a tad batter and maybe Unstoppable Zombies? (those die pretty fast to Acid Balls)
Mass Leather won´t work against an Acid Ball spore (or Dissolve)
Jacksmack vs Charmyna was pretty much identical matchup. Its not on video and i only saw like 5 min off it.
Jacksmack used a Crumble Thoughtspore to dissolve all Charmyna´s leather. Only after was it discovered that Mind´s Eye can only be used to cast Quick Spells. Mistakes like this happens all the time, especially with new cards.
Mind´s Eye still very good, and from personal experience i can tell you to watch out for this. Get into the Forcemasters zone with a couple of Brutes? Whats her forcepull herself from a Minds Eye then run 2.
While you chase her arougn you might just die from rocks and whatnot.
Incorporeal seems to be a problem. We have seen Mind´s Eye and Mana Siphon practically win games until now.
Well its exciting times. Zombies don´t rule anymore.
#10 Sharkbait (Bloodwave Warlord) vs Romeoxero (Arraxian Crown Warlock) 1:30/10r
#Hardcasting creatures
#Transfusion Bomb
#Gate to Voltari
#Guard
#Flying
#Outcreatured
#Battleforge
#Enchanter Ring
#Focus
#Battle Orders
#Purge Magic
#Dice OP
Another real fun match to watch. Intense!
#Battleforge/Enchanter Ring.
Textbook use of Battleforge and both Rings. Warlock just got better when they can curse their own creatures with something like Demonic Bloodlust. Even better on a creature that has Bloodthirsty anyway.
Hope to see someone cast it on a Cassiel at a crucial moment.
#Hardcasting creatures.
Pretty nice to have 5 orcs ready with 20 dice at round 5. I have to agree with pudding id put out a Goblin Slinger round 1 actually vs an AC Warlock. If he still had put out a Bloodreaper Blooddemon id continue to put out ranged creatures. Bloodreaper Blooddemon is no joke.
Warlord crew : id like to see Gurmash and a Bloodwave Greatbow. Gurmash can cast Brace Yourself and do Battle orders. Its a shame that you don´t have Quick March, but i guess you can´t have everything.
#FC/NC
I would have moved to the top row to put the curses on the Warlord. I think the FC is a more important square.
Its were the Warlord will put Ballista or Gravikor. Same with the Force Push (real good move to bypass guards there!) id rather push the Warlord to NC. Keeps Battleforge in play and makes it more difficult to wall off.
Blooddemon was misplaced for that.
#Curseweaving
Small thing here but it did look like Romeo forgot to take his Demonic Bloodlust back in the book?
From an A++ performance to just A+ (which normally win games if you play that well)
#Harshforge Monolith
Id like to have seen the Monolith in the round Shark almost prepared it.
Looked like it could get a 7 mana upkeep!
#Purge Magic
No. For 9 spellbookpoints?
Id take Arcane Corruption+Arcane ward+Remove Curse and either Purify or Hand Of Bim Shall instead.
That said Purge Magic is real good.
#DiceOP
OMG what a Ballista shot. And at such a crusial time - not much you could do vs the 8 dice Blooddemon.
And yes i agree a Heal had been good
#11 Parkdeck (Paladin) vs Redicediaries (Necromancer) 58:13/7 rounds
#Eternal Servant
#Battleforge
#Crusade Banner
#Cassiel
#Guardian Angel
#Focus
#Chant of Rage
#Gravikor
#Cloak of Shadows
#Pillar of Righteous Flame
#When to take your Mage action
Very quick defeat for the Necromancer here.
Forgetting Eternal Servant, small mess up revealing Chant of Rage on non-active Cassiel, deciding to go after the hard targets first, not focusing down enemy creatures, taking Mage action early, Gravikor in a situation were 1 Maim Wings would have been better, and just a bit below on dice luck caused this really fast defeat.
Not that i think Parkdeck played perfectly either. Pillar of Righteous Flame is super strong and vs. a Necro its just brutal. Hitting the Necro with the Pillar was an odd choise - seem like Parkdeck didn´t know or forgot that Cloak of Shadows has Light -2.
Im not really convinced on the use of Crusade Banner either. Was it really that important to put Guardian Angel and Cassiel forward? It ended up working fine, but it didn't look to me that Parkdeck saved anything - more like he paid 5 mana to move 2 creatures to squares.
Still i feel Reddice would have needed a big army and some heavy cursing to have a chance here.
Its really hard to kill most of the Holy creatures.
Maximum post lenght is 20000 characters so i have to make a part 2, 3, 4 etc.